Common values rooted in common ground

We at Women’s March Oakland are committed to fighting for justice for all people, regardless of skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or national origin. We categorically denounce and reject all forms of bigotry and hate, including racism, sexism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, classism, xenophobia and ableism.

We envision an East Bay free from systems of oppression and rooted in inclusive structures guided by autonomy, dignity and respect for all self-identified women and other vulnerable populations. To achieve this goal, we must challenge ourselves and our communities to have courageous conversations on critical issues in which all parties strive to find common ground. We believe our movement is strongest when we listen to the voices most often silenced. We also believe that anyone committed to our values and vision has a place in our work.

A truly inclusive Women’s March should represent all communities currently under attack. In this moment we must address the sharp increase in targeted, antisemitic attacks here in the Bay Area and around the country. We recognize that we—and the larger Women’s March movement—still have work to do on this urgent problem. In the coming months, we will work with local organizations to provide trainings on combating antisemitism and other kinds of hate as part of our activist education program. We will also host an event on building coalitions across differences and how people who hold divergent views can come together for a shared goal. Finally, we will continue to support and amplify the hard work of organizations that have been striving for a more just, safe and equitable East Bay for years, long before Women’s March Oakland came into being.

To those who have shared their thoughts and concerns with us, thank you. We need your perspectives to build a movement to dismantle interconnected systems of oppression and ensure the most marginalized are heard and represented. We will take this opportunity to grow stronger together as we create space for daring discussions and bold action in the fight for our collective liberation.